Refrigerator latch



June 16, 1931. A. RUBIN REFRIGERATOR LATCH Filed Sept. 28, 1929 I I... II/ N Patented June 16, 1931 AIDOLPH RUIBIIEOF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURIREFRIGERATOR Lemon H his invention relates to latches for refrig eratordoors.

doors, the bolt must strike the bevel portion of the keeper-in order toplace it in position to snap behindthe catch and keep the door inposition. "ThiscauSeS' a strain on the latch, its parts and fastenings.I

An object,. therefore, of this invent-ionis to providea latch in whichthe bolt after the door is opened, will be held in withdrawngpositionnntil the door is closed. Another object of this invention is to providea latch which is simple of construction, economical to t positive inoperation, durable manufacture in use and easy of repair. 7 7

Another, object of this invention is to pro: vide {novel bearingmeans'for the latching element. 2e

lowing description taken in connection with the: accompanying drawingsin which; Fig. "l is a planviewofthe latch with its keeper. g p r v Fig. '2 is a sectional view taken on line 22.,Fig.1;" Fig; 3 isa frontelevation with the bolt shown in withdrawn position. p j

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on lines 4 4E, Fig.1.

This latchcomprises a casing having up: standinglugs between which ismounted a latching element. ;"The latchingl element 7 comprisesintegrally a handle, a sleeve to engage anaxis pin, a lever and a boltto engage the keeper.- Mounted on the latching element is a triggerwhichwhen the bolt is ,with

drawng en ages a' shoulder formed on: thef base plate of the casing 'Thetrigger'releasesthe-bolt when the door is closed by striking a lateralprojection on the keeper. i The casing has the attaching flangel so thatthe latch may be -secured to the doorb'y screws passingfthrough theholes 2 in the flange. Lugs 3 and 4 are integral with and extendoutwardly from'th casing. Q The latching element com risesintegrally thehandle 5 the sleeve 6,. the lug-7, and the bolt '8, carriedhy the lug. jThe casing has the base plate 9 whieh may 'In th'e ordinary latch for'refrigerator ister withlthe holes 2 in the casing flange.

j Ql her ob' jects will appear from therfol- Application filed Se temer's, 1929. 'Serial No; 395,891..

be fastened to the casing by the screw 10. The base plate has formedinit a shoulder 11 for a purpose which will behereafter je'x pla1ned.v Thebase plate has holes which reg- A' trigger comprises a sleeve12,}horizontal arm 13 withan inclined lug l4 on the end of the arm. Thetrigger ismounted on apin 15 projecting laterally from the; lug Toff thelatching element. .The trigger is resiliently actuated by the U springldwhich has one leg hearing 'againstfthe trigger and the otheragainst'the sleeve 6 0f the latching element.

The lug 3 has an orifice ofjthe same di'aineter as the inside of. thesleeve 6 to accommodateith'e cylindrical head 17 of the axis pin,whichhead also projects into the sleeve and forms abea-ring surface forthe latchingelement. The head has a longitudinal slot 18 in itsperiphery to engage th end or thespring 19. The spring 19 is positioned3 about the shank 2O ofthe axis pin and within the sleeve 6; and has itsother end secured by being placed within an orifice 21in an inwardlyprojecting annular flange 22 of the sleevefi. This'flangehas an orificeftthe same diameter as the'or ificein the lug 4 adapted toflreceive ,thenarrow end of the axi'sfpin The head 17 of the axis 'pin'has in it a.series of radially. extending holes 23 to register Witha hole 24Lextending from the inner surface of the orifice in the lug 3 to thebottom of the casing. The headl'? has across its end a transverse slot25150 receive an adjusting tool such as a screw driver. The axis pin maybe secured inits position ten'sionlals'o 1 secured I by means at a plaincylindrical: pin 26'passing through the hole 24 inthe casing and intoone of the series of holesf23' in the a I periphery of the head ;17 Thiskey pin 26 is "held in place by the base plate screw 10 whichab'utsit. IY:

The aizis pin" has an annular shoulder formed fonits' shank which abutsthe flange 22 of the sleeve. I v 1 Thekeeper28 may be} of thefordinaryform exceptthatit has'laterallyprojectin-g from it a lug 29with atop inclined surface, When the; handle of the latch rais d itmoves the holtout of engagement with the 9 7 hind the shoulder 11 on thebase plate, thus actuate the trigger.

keeping the bolt in withdrawn position. When the door is closed theprojection on the trigger strikes the projection 29 on the keeper thusreleasing the bolt. The inclined surfaces of the lug 14 on the triggerand of the lug 29 on the keeper permits clearance as the bolt isreleased and moves int-o its keeper.

' It will thus be seen that a refrigerator.

latch is provided which is simple in construction and economical tomanufacture The parts are simple and lend themselves tothe ordinarymethods of manufacture. The tension of the spring within the sleeve maybe easily adjusted by removing the base plate, adjusting the tension bya screw driver operating in the slot in the head of the axis pin; theretaining pin being a plain cylindrical one, may be simply dropped inits proper hole and it will be held in position by the screw whichretains the base plate' The construction, permits the latch to bequickly disassembled and reassembled, making it easy to replace wornparts. v The latching element is rigidlysupported, the flange on one endof the sleeve forming a bearing surface with the shank of the axis pin,and the cylindrical head of the pin forming a bearing surface with thesleeve at its other end.

g It is to be understood that various changes may be made in'details ofconstruction, with:

in the scope of the appended claims, without deplarting from the spiritof this invention. aving described the invention, what? is claimed is: IV l t A latch forrefrigerator'doo-rs including a latching element havinga-bolt to engage a keeper, a trigger "pivotally mounted on and supportedby said latching element and adapted to retain the bolt in withdrawnpdsition vwhen the door is open and a spring to i 2. A 'latch'forrefrigerator doors including, a casing having a base plate, a latchingelement 7 including abolt and pivotally mounted on said casing, a springto actuate the latching element, a triggermounted on the latchingelement,.and a shoulder onthe base plate adapted to engage the triggerand hold the bolt in withdrawn position when the door-is open. I i f V3. Alatch for refri erator doors including,a casing having a base plate,a latching element pivotally mounted on said casing, said I latchingelement comprising fintegra-lly a handle, a lugv and a bolt secured tothe lug, a spring to actuate the latching element, atrigger pivotallymounted on the latching element,and a shoulder on the base plate adaptedto engage the trigger and hold the bolt in withdrawn position when thedoor is open.

4:. A latch for refrigerator doors comprising, a housing having a baseplate, a bolt pivotally mounted on said housing, a spring to actuatesaid bolt, a pin to retain the tension of said spring, and a screw tosecure said base plate so positioned as to abut said pin.

5. A latch for refrigerator doors comprising, a base having upstandinglugs, 21 pin on said lugs for pivotally supporting a latching element,said pin having a cylindricalhead adapted to fit in one of said lugs, asleeve on the latching element, and a torsion spring about said pin andwithin said sleeve,

one end of said spring engaging the head of said pin and the other endengaging the sleeve.

61 1A latch for refrigerator doors comprising, a casinghaving-upstanding lugs,-an

axispin on said lugs for pivotally supporting a latching element, thepin having. a cylindrical head to fit in one of said lugs, a sleeve onthe latching element, and a torsion spring about the pin and within saidsleeve, one end of said spring engaging the head of said pin and theother end engaging the sleeve, the head of-said pin having a hole in itsperiphery to receive a retaining pin passing through the casing andprojecting into said hole to retain the pivot pin in position.

7. A latch for refrigerator doors comprising, a base having upstandinglugs, an axis pin on said lugs for pivotally supporting a latchingelement, said pin having a cylin' drical head adapted to fit in one ofsaid lugs, a. sleeve on the latching element, a torsion spring aboutsaid pin and within said sleeve, one end of 'said'spri'ngengaging thehead of said pin and the other endengaging the sleeve, a series ofradial holes in the peripheryof said cylindrical head to register with ahole through the casing, means on the head of said pin to engage anadjusting tool, and a retaining pinto 'secure the said pin in position.

8. In a latch for refrigerator doors, an axis pin to engage a sleevehaving an inwardly extending annular flange at one end to fit the shankof the pin, said pin having a cylindrical head to fit the sleeve, andtwo supporting lugs, one of which adjacentto said flange isjournaled tofit the shank of the pin and the other one j ournaled to fit the header"the pin. I

l 9. In a latch for-refrigerator doors, an axis pin to engage sleevehaving an inwardly extending annular flange at one end to fit the shankof the pin, said'pin having acylindrical, head to fit the sleeve," and atorsion spring about said pin and within 7 axis pin to engageja sleevehavingan in-

